Means for attaching fixtures to outlets



L L E B B U H H. u 2. @a l 2 1 .m

MEANS FOR ATTACHING FIXTURES-TQ'OUTLETS Filed April 9. 1921 2 sneetssneey INVENTOR my fw/J 'ATTORNEY Oct. 12 1926.

H. HUBBELL MEANS FOR ATTACHING FIXTURES TAOI OUTLETS Filed April 1921 z sheets-snee*v 2 ATITORNEY I Patented ct.v 12, 1926. p p y UNITED ,STATES -.PATENT1oFFICE.j

I HARVEY HUBBELL, F IBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

MEANS For. ATTACHING Application filed AApril 9,4

This invention relates to means -for `at taching and supporting electric fixtures and for electrically connecting them with the. house wiring, and is in the natureof an improvement on or 'modification of the construction disclosed in my prior application for Letters Patent filed March 1, 1921, Serial No. 448,784, wherein is shownand described a combined fixture supporty and cur- -rent outlet or tap which may be readily put in place by the house wirer, and whereby the fixtures can subsequently be ,easily and quickly set upl and the necessary'electrical connections simultaneouslyfv-made by a sims ple operation-requiring no' special skill or experience, the construction being such as. to -permit the fixtures to be interchanged at will an'd`to present an inconspicuousl and pleasing appearance when no fixture isattached. f

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a device of the-character above referred to wherein'the attachment of the fixturem'ay be effected by successive longitudinal and lateral movements thereof instead of'by successive longitudinal and angular or rotaryjmovements, as in my 'Erler appllcatlon labove referred to, means eing provided whereby, when the fixture is in place, the 'electric coupling members will be locked against vthe relative movement required in order to permit detachment of the fixture until intentionallynnlocked for the purpose of removing said fixture.

The more particular objects ofthe invention, together with means wherebyI the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of ,one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a central longitudinal vertical. section of the complete device, showing the fixture attached.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the support and its associated outlet tap with the fixture removed. Y l

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation and Fig. 5 a side view yof the attaching and connecting de-` vices carried by the fixture.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 denotes the wall studding, 11 the lathing, and 12 ythe plastering between which and the studding 'l0 is the usual air space 13 containing an outlet box 14 of anyl suitable form secured to the outlet FIXTURES To OUTLETS.

1921, serial No. 459,957. .'stud'ding 10 lby screws. 15 4'and into Whichlead the endsof the 'house wires enclosed in the usual conduits-16. lThe ends of ysaid wiresl are electrically-connected to the socket termi- -nals 17` of a receptacle '18 composed of in -sulating material and of any usual or 'well known form, said receptacle constituting an outlet tap and forming one member of au' the complementary memelectric coupling, ber ofwhich is carried by the fixture, as hereinafter described. 419 denotes a sub- 'plate connected 'with the receptacle :18, as by angle brackets 20v riveted to said plate and engaged in notches in'said receptacle. The 70 the brackets 20 constitute means for carryin receptacle 18. 2l denotes screws attaching the sub-plate 19 to the outlet box 14, as engagement with threaded openings in ears formedat the outer ends 22 located'in said outlet box andf secured to the bottom thereof by screws-23. The subplate y19 is preferably of sufficient size to exr tend beyond the edges o f the opening lin the when `the support is fully assembled,by a face plate 24, (see also` Figs. 2 and 3) of pleasing shape and finish. f The face plate 24 is provided ,with a centralopening 42 to .receive the outer end-'ofthe receptacle 1885 and is secured Vin lace by the screws 21 ywhich secure the su #plate to the outlet box. 25 denotes the stem of an electric fixture which may be/of any desired character and which is, therefore, not shown in detail here-90 in; The stem 25 is of tubular form to enclose the wires. 26 which lead to the lamps or other current consuming devices lcarried by the fixture. The stem4 25 may, if desired, 4be covered by a finishing tube 29 and '95 has a threaded inner end'to receive a threadfed collar 30 secured in place thereon by a set-screw 31. The .collar30 has va swaged connection with a rectangular, box-like at'- taching member 32 (see also Figs. 4 and 5)' 10o l having at its rear 'or open side upper and lower attaching flangesl 33.- The screws 21 are formed "with shouldered heads 35 to con,- stitute attaching studs which are .received in alined, transversely 36 in the flanges 33.

The fixture wires 26 are'connected at their inner ends to plug terminals 27 carried by a slide 28 located in the attaching-*member 32 and guided for transverse or vertical 110 movement therein, said slide being retained in said attaching member, and lts movement of a frame or yoke.

box, and is4 covered and enclosed, 80

disposedv keyhole slots A and engaging grooves 37 in said slide. The

limited, by means-.of screw studs 34 carried by the side walls of the' attaching member 32 box portion 32 of the fixture and the screws 34 constitute means for carrying'the electric coupling member`284 The slide 28, is icomposed of insul'atingmaterial and vconstitutes an electric coupling member `'coi'nplementary -to the receptacle 18,,being provided with-a central'o'pe'nlng 38'throu`gh which the wires 26 pass to the plug "terminals 27, theilexibility ofsaid wires'"'permitting the necessary movements of thefs'lide 28 in the attaching.

memberi`32. 39 denotes a fiati spring .latch rivetedE one end tothe attaching member- 32 and having asho'ulder 43Fada'p'ted, when the fixture is attached,"to engage the slide 28 and hold'the same against movement inthe.

opposite: direction in the attaching member and thus preventremoval ofthe fixture from its supporting means'xl 135 without first releasing the latch 39.' The spring 39 is :provided with a eentralopening 44 for the passage of thewire'sf26 andw'ith an operating finger piece 4,5which extends through Aa slot 46'inv. the bottom'wall ofthe attaching member 32.

The entire combined 'su' port "and couplinv may, if""desire`d,"' be enc osed .and-(covers by the :usual ornamental canopy"40 secured in 'place'upon the'fixture stem by a set Screw l1-- When the house iswired, the Ahouse wire terminals in the outlet box 14 ,are connected withthe socket terminal 17 of the receptacle' 18, and the sub-plate `19, by' which-said re,- ceptacl'e is carried`,is secured to the outlet box by the screws2l, or, preferably, by other temporary screws employed for this purpose. The parts are leftin this condition during the subse uent finishing ofthe walls, any marring o or other minor injury to the sub- `plate 19 at' this time being wholly immaterial inasmuch assaid sub-'plate is subsequently covered and concealed'by the .facev plate'.` l24. After the'fwalls have been finished, '"the temporary `screws are removed, and the face plate 24 attached by the screw studs21, said screw studs` also serving to vpermanently 'secure the lsub-plate'19. Theparts will then be in the positionshow'n inV Figs. 2 and 3 'and 'ma be so left if no` fixture is tobe attache VWhen it' is desired' to attach a fixture, Ithe canopy 40 of such xture 'is 'moved outwardly upon the fixture stem by loosening the set screw'41, andthe s ring latch 39 -s released by operation o 'the finger. piece 45to permit the slidej28'to be moved Atransversely of the attaching member 32 into aposition adjacent the lower end ofthe latter; The plug terminals 27 of said slide are then' inserted in' the socket `terminals 17 of .the receptacle or complementary .cou-

pling member 18,'and the studs '35 at the same time introduced into the wider` portions of the key hole slots 36. Thus said terminals are means for engaging the coupling members which means are engaged by a lon-` gitudinal movement of the fixture. Thereafter the fixture is given atransverse downward. movement to. carry the studs 35 into the narrower portions of the slots 36, the slide'28, whose plug terminals 27 arel now in engagement with the socket-terminals 17, remaining stationary, and therefore being relatively moved ltransversely of theattachin member 32`into the upper portion thereo where it is automatically locked .bythe spring latch 39. The studs 35 and fthe slots 36 form a mechanical connection between the fixture. and the stationary or fixed Asupport which comprises the outlet boxv 14 and-the bracket 22,- so that the fixture is supported by said support. Thel canopy 40 isiinally'y moved back' against the wall and secured in place by the set screw 41, thereby completing the. attachment and connection which, as will be seen, has been effectively but quickly andx easily accomplished, the fixture being firmly supported and the necessary electric connections'having been securely made. lt will also be seen that any fixture can, if desired,be as readilyl detached slipping the canopy 40 forwardly, releasing the latch 39, and lifting the attaching member 32 lfrom the supporting studs 35.v .The fixed supporting devices will preferably be similar to one another throughout the building, as lwill alsothe attaching` devices carried by the several fixtures, so as=to render said fixtures readily interchangeable and permit any one to be detached and moved to another point or replaced by a dierent fixture as desired.

1.IIaving thus '7 described my invention, I c aim:

i The'combinationwith 'a fixture and aremeans for holding the bracket in connectedposition, comprising spring means positively preventing sliding movement of said bracket with respect to said plug-inf` device. Y

` In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

HARvEY H UlBBELL.

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